Parcels ~ Anotherclock Live @ Lollapalooza Afterparty, Berlin

Tiny Desk concerts give us a rare, unfiltered experience of an artists capabilities. Sitting just a few feet away, we’re keenly aware of imperfections, or more simply put, eager to point out what parts of a song don’t sound like the studio version. We lock onto what’s missing.

But sometimes, a good live performance reveals more than it entertains. As is the case with T-Pain’s Tiny Desk show, which shows that in the absence of autotune Buy U A Drank can be a luscious, tender melody. All that empty space, intimate and oxygen rich, brings the song to life.

Parcels, an Australian band living in Berlin, thrives at this sonic trick. With some dexterous hands on the keyboard, a steady rhythm section, and a groove that fuses Fleetwood Mac with Daft Punk, Parcel’s glittery synth-pop is hypnotizing. There’s no clutter, despite having five band members, Instead they’re slick, minimalistic, and brash – characteristics that are only amplified in a live setting.

Be sure to follow Parcels closely. Especially when they make their return to the U.S. And who knows… maybe a Tiny Desk concert is in their future.